Directive No. 07/2008/CT-BTTTT on Promoting the Use of Open Source Software in State Agencies and Organizations

DIRECTIVE

On Promoting the Use of Open Source Software in the Activities of State Agencies and Organizations
state agencies and organizations 

To implement Decision No. 235/2004/QĐ-TTg dated March 2, 2004 of the Prime Minister approving the Overall Project on Application and Development of Open Source Software in Vietnam for the period 2004-2008, the Ministry of Information and Communications has issued a list of open source software products meeting the requirements for use in state agencies and organizations (including office suite OpenOffice, email client Mozilla Thunderbird, web browser Mozilla Firefox, and Vietnamese keyboard layout Unikey); the Ministry of Science and Technology has developed guidance materials and organized training sessions for these software products for many state agencies and organizations nationwide.

In order to promote the use of free and open-source software (also known as open source software - abbreviated as OSS), contributing to reducing copyright infringement of software, the Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communications issues the following directive:

1. Units specialized in information technology (IT) of Ministries, agencies at the level of ministries, and agencies under the Government (hereinafter referred to as Ministries and sectors) and Provincial Departments of Information and Communications (Provincial Departments of Information and Communications) of centrally governed cities and provinces (hereinafter referred to as provinces and cities):

a) Implement the installation and organize training and guidance on the use of the above-mentioned software for staff within their agencies and units:

By June 30, 2009 at the latest, ensure that 100% of workstations of IT specialized units and Provincial Departments of Information and Communications are installed with the software, 100% of staff are trained and guided in its use, among which at least 50% of staff can skillfully use it in their work and have the ability to assist other agencies and units under Ministries and sectors, provinces and cities.

By December 31, 2009 at the latest, ensure that 70% of workstations in agencies and units under Ministries and sectors, provinces and cities are installed with the software, 70% of staff are trained and guided in its use, among which at least 40% of staff use the software in their work.

Develop plans to gradually increase the number of documents, materials, and information exchanged in agencies and units under Ministries and sectors, provinces and cities that are drafted and processed using the above-mentioned software; ensure that by December 31, 2010, most staff in agencies and units under Ministries and sectors, provinces and cities use the software in their work.

b) Advise and propose to the heads of Ministries and sectors, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities: solutions and measures to ensure the implementation of the above tasks; incorporate the contents of this Directive into the IT application plans of agencies and units; promote and encourage competition among agencies and units, individuals in Ministries and sectors, provinces and cities regarding the use of OSS; include the application of IT generally and the use of OSS specifically in the annual assessment and commendation criteria for individuals and units.

c) Regularly (at least once every six months) organize evaluations, interim summaries, and draw lessons from the implementation of the above tasks, report to Ministries and sectors, People's Committees of provinces and cities, and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

2. Associations and IT enterprises:

a) IT associations organize practical activities to create conditions for members to exchange information and experience to continuously improve their capacity in exploiting and providing OSS products and services; coordinate and support specialized IT units and Provincial Departments of Information and Communications in implementing the above tasks; support the development of OSS communities in Vietnam; promote international cooperation on OSS and linkages between the Vietnamese OSS community and global organizations and communities.

b) Computer suppliers: Install the above-mentioned software on computers when supplying them to state agencies and organizations; Do not supply to the market computers with unauthorized software.

c) Training service providers: Actively and proactively develop programs, curricula, and organize training courses on OSS; incorporate the content of training on OSS products into basic computer, office, and advanced computer training programs.

d) Software enterprises and IT service providers: Enhance their capacity in providing software services, including OSS, to state agencies in the direction of treating software as a service (SaaS); encourage the development of ideas, products, and services based on OSS.

3. Agencies and units under the Ministry of Information and Communications:

a) Department of Information Technology:

- Take the lead and coordinate with the Office of Information Technology under the Ministry of Science and Technology and related units to update the list of OSS products meeting the requirements for use in state agencies and organizations; Complete guidance materials; Organize and support communities in localizing OSS products;

- Conduct surveys, compile, and provide online lists of businesses providing OSS services, institutions and businesses providing OSS training services; installation versions, technical documentation, and user guides for commonly used OSS;

- Guide, inspect, and urge the implementation of the Directive; receive, compile, and coordinate with relevant agencies and units to resolve according to their authority, or report to the Minister for resolution of suggestions and proposals from Ministries and sectors, localities regarding the application and development of OSS, as well as difficulties arising during the implementation of the Directive; compile and report to the Minister on the results of implementation.

b) Agency for IT Application: Proactively incorporate the contents of this Directive, as well as the tasks and responsibilities to promote the application of OSS, into regulations and guidelines on IT application, and guidelines for developing IT application plans, programs, and projects in the operations of state agencies.

c) Information Center:

- Implement the contents and tasks assigned to specialized IT units in this Directive. Ensure that agencies and units of the Ministry take the lead in using the aforementioned software.

- Take the lead and coordinate with press and media agencies to promote and enhance awareness of the benefits of domestic software and digital content products; Mobilize the application of domestic software and digital content products in the activities of agencies, organizations, businesses, and citizens.

The Vietnam Software and Information Technology Services Association, the Vietnam National Cybersecurity Center (VNCERT): Prepare forces ready to support ministries, sectors, and localities in implementing the use of the aforementioned domestic software and digital content products; Coordinate with the Department of Information Technology to review and update the list of domestic software and digital content products that meet the requirements for use in state agencies and organizations.

4. Implementation:

a) Heads of units under the Ministry, heads of specialized information technology units of ministries and sectors, Directors of Provincial Departments of Information and Communications, associations, and information technology enterprises shall be responsible for thoroughly understanding the spirit of the Directive, strictly implementing the contents and tasks mentioned above, promptly organizing implementation, and regularly reporting on the results of implementation.

b) Specialized information technology units, Provincial Departments of Information and Communications: Assign a unit leader to directly oversee the promotion of the application of domestic software and digital content products, responsible for organizing implementation, urging, inspecting, and evaluating the application of domestic software and digital content products within their unit as well as other agencies and units within their ministry, sector, province, or city.

c) Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities: Direct the Provincial Department of Information and Communications and related departments to strictly implement this Directive; proactively allocate and reserve a portion of their total information technology application and development budget for the implementation and use of the aforementioned domestic software and digital content products; establish mechanisms, policies, allocate resources, and create favorable conditions for units to implement.